Hello my spotted comrades...
Time to kick some p.acnes assss!

Hm. Yeah, that felt good. Now I want to share my new regimen with you all

First, a brief history:

I've got fair, very oily skin. Big pores and different kinds of acne. I tend to get white heads mostly and a lot of red sore marks especially after the spot is gone. My forehead just seems to have small bumps that don't do anything... they're just kind of there if that makes sense lol. My cheeks and nose have the biggest pores, they are just so big and yucky, blech. I do tend to pick at the white heads but I'm trying really hard not to, and have been doing good the last couple of days. I always have some "active acne" going on, even when I was on the last reg which I'm about to explain. I've never gotten to the point where I can just treat all the redness. I want to so bad!!!

Last 2 months, I was on Yaz, clindamycin, BP 4% wash and tretinoin - all prescribed by derm except for the Yaz which was prescribed by my gyn. I was only on this reg for about 2 months until 2 days ago when I quit. I mean, I hate birth control, I really do. It gives me horrible mood swings, super painful, throbbing headaches and it just totally zaps all my energy... including my libido The yaz is mostly to blame - I've tried a couple other BCP, they're not as severe - I think it's because of the drosperinone in Yaz causing lethargy or something. I just know I don't like it! I'm really freaked out though with all the Yaz lawsuits coming out -anyone else seen those commercials or heard the horrible stories? Which sucks because despite all that... those androgen blockers make my skin look good. My skin will be less oily but I just feel so crummy that I can't enjoy it. So yeah, I think I have hormonal acne but, I don't want to mess with my hormones. I'd rather just learn to treat my acne in a healthy, natural way and hope I grow out of this.

Basically, I just decided that I'm tired of putting different chemicals all over my face and trying to change my body with them. I just want to do this as simple as possible.

So after reading a couple blogs here, I think I want to try me some african black soap, tea tree oil, jojoba oil and shea butter.

I already have jojoba oil, I just got some tea tree oil today and I ordered some unrefined shea butter and african black soap from a pretty sweet looking fair trade company. I actually feel better already just knowing the products I ordered came from a good place.

I took my makeup off with jojoba oil and then washed with cetaphil. I then put some tea tree oil on a cotton ball and dabbed that on the inflamed areas (pretty much everywhere lol) After about 5 mins I massaged in some jojoba oil to moisturize.

I can say already that my face feels really clean and refreshed! I feel like my skin looks like normal skin, just with some bumps and redness. Whereas before I felt like all my skin was just weird looking.. I really can't explain it but I hope some of you at least know what I mean.. Heh.

So I'll be hopefully posting some more here almost every night or when there is some notable change. Definitely when my shea butter and soap arrive! Then my real regimen will begin...

skylyre

Okay, so I've gone and removed a great number of my posts, which is why my log is currently empty. I'm going through a period in my life I'd rather not articulate, but this means I kind of want to exist as least as possible on the Internet - partly because I don't want to be found by certain people. I've also realized that I post far too often on the forums, and have been doing so while I isolate myself from the world and shirk duties (thanks in part to my skin).

I will still be updating this thing, but probably more seldom than I have been. I tend to come on here most often when I'm feeling badly about how things are going, so hopefully cutting back a bit will help some. I'm still on the same regimen, MaMa lotion + Aczone, and haven't noticed any appreciable changes - my face is continuing to get more and more hyperpigmented, and existing lesions are still healing very slowly. I'm seeing a dermatologist tomorrow, finally, for Accutane, and I will definitely update you all on how that goes. I really hope it works out and that I finally get to go on Accutane, because it's really time to nip this problem in the bud. Other than that, I'm trying to stay positive... for once.

In case this derm doesn't work out, I've found another who basically said he'd prescribe me Accutane if my blood tests came out normal. The only catch he had was that his clinic requires a patient to undergo a 4-week course of treatment on birth control, antibiotics, and topicals, just to 'prove' they're committed. I wrote him back and said I've never been more serious anything about my skin, and that I need to get the majority of my course in over the summer - there's no way I can manage my final year of school while weak, tired and stupid on Accutane. Hopefully he's understanding about this (because I'm already on birth control and have tried a slew of different antibiotics, which haven't helped me), and we can work something out. Even so, at least I've got back-up. That's all for now, everyone.

I'm just going to add onto this post for now; just wanted to share a bit of excitement. My biggest worry about Accutane is, of course, not being prescribed it - for the longest time, I've been under the impression that a derm will *not* allow it unless they absolutely have to give it to you. I've been stressing about my visit to tomorrow's derm since I set it up, for fear he won't be willing to give me Accutane - or worse, put me on a round of random medications to 'try' and clear me. Well, the consultation fee isn't that much so I'll go anyway, but the doctor I mentioned above (with the 4-week course) has emailed me back to say that he's willing to bypass the month-long treatment before he prescribes Accutane.

Basically he told me to make an appointment and that if I qualified (once he looks at my face and gets a bit more of my history, which I've already described to him), I could get entered into the system that day. Wow, I'm really happy about this... I was afraid he would insist I do the 4-week treatment, but I guess he's willing to forego that because I'm already on birth control and don't respond to antibiotics, anyway. I'm setting up an appointment with this derm directly after finals; I'm tempted to just skip tomorrow's appointment because I have a ton of studying to do - and just go to the other derm. Ah, I don't know.

We'll see, but I'm really happy this is finally starting to work out a bit. Most of the other derms I've consulted have given me extremely ambiguous answers (we do prescribe Accutane, ubt you'll first need to pay a $150 consultation fee just so we can look at you briefly), or have turned me away because I don't have severe, nodulocystic acne. So, woo hoo. This is one ray of light in my otherwise emotionally taxing, crappy crappy week.

Hello everyone,

I joined acne.org in 2006, at the height of my worst breakouts. This was my original post. I was seriously losing all hope until I was emailed by someone on here who saw my photos and told me a lot of my experiences were similar to those suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Sure enough, I talked to my doctor and began treatment for it. The hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS had a major effect on my acne and so in addition to using Tazorac and taking the pill, my hormone levels began to approach normalcy and so too did the acne I was experiencing.

I am posting my photos here to show that success is possible and to also share with you how the forums here helped me. If it wasn't for the person who emailed me about my posts, I don't know if I would have ever solved my problem.

Keep posting your thoughts, questions, and don't ever give up. If I had, I wouldn't be where I am today. In a nutshell, I have acne.org and the supportive posters who wrote me such kind words during one of my lowest times to thank for my breakthrough.

If you have any questions, or just need to talk, please feel free to message me.

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Hi I'm not doing anything special with this thread, I just want to have a place to remember when I started and how I'm progressing.

In the past I've tried doxycycline, minocycline, BP creams and washes, SA etc some have helped and some not so much. The mino was amazing until it stopped working 5 months into the treatment.

I took my first 10mg accutane capsule today so I will see how this works - I am on 10mg a day. I was really nervous before taking it even though I've been set on this for some time now. Did some last minute reading up of the effects etc even though I know them all and have read them a million times previously haha.

I am a 21 yr old, 165 lbs, 6 ft male with moderate but very persistant acne. Oily skin and clogged pores mainly.

So I'm hoping this will work as planned

Hi I'm Lexi, I have fair, combination skin.
Although my acne is light, I'm prone to discolouration after the acne is cleared, making it seem as though the acne is still there.

I've decided to give shea butter a go, since I have heard good things about its acne healing properties and how well it combats uneven skintone.

I've only been on this new regimen for a couple of days:
I wash my face with Neutrogena visibly clear 2 in 1 wash/mask in the morning and at night
after my morning wash I apply 5% BP
after I wash my face at night, I apply the unrefined shea butter and leave it on overnight.

I'm a bit worried due to the greasy texture of the shea butter, but it doesn't appear to have caused any breakouts or pore congestion as of yet.

I'd like to hear from anyone else who's tried shea butter, whether it had worked for them etc.


NEW REGIMEN:

Neutrogena visibly clear 2 in 1 wash/mask in the morning and at night
after my morning wash I apply tea tree oil all over my face (and rub more into any problem areas if needs be.)
after I wash my face at night, I apply my sheabutter and tea tree oil mixture and leave it on overnight.

I'm not missing the BP one bit

Ive been suffering from squeezing my zits for years, and yesterday was the last straw. I completely destroyed my perfectly clear healing face by picking it and I have left myself with about 100 red scabs all ver my face now. I don't wanna go out in public, or be seen by anyone, I don't even wanna look in the mirror, it sickens me.

Today ive decided to stop forever, everyday I will post an update on how im doing morning to night, help me out, and please give me advice. Thanks

This morning, I did not touch my face, and tonight its 9, and i have still not touched my face.

What soap/cleanser and moisturizer do you use while on accutane? Im using dan's moisturizer and it seems to only make my scars/red marks more visible and it burns terribly.

My skin is real sensitive and dry.

?

Hi everyone, welcome to my log... whoo-hoo!

I'll be tracking my progress on here, probably a few times a week at first. I just started Spironolactone so I'll Title each post as the # of Days on it. I also had my tretinoin upped to %0.05, and I use Benzaclin to spot treat.

I'm also cutting out Caffeine!!!! Today was my LAST Starbucks... this should be interesting...

AND I'm going to stop taking my ADD medication, Adderall. Today is my last day on that too. I just feel like it makes my face get flushed sometimes, and if caffeine in high amounts can be bad for your skin then Adderall can't be helping!

DAY 6

Cysts around jawline. About 4, whereas a couple days ago there was 8. They seem to be healing OR I'll just wake up with more tomorrow. Which seems to happen lately.
I am on my period, which is early- I'm thinking the Spiro might have affected this...
Still have big pores & blackheads on my cheeks.
Blackheads and small pimples on my T zone.

LOL, this feels so weird to write about my acne! I guess it should help to look back though. And hopefully if this regime works it'll help other people to read about it.

hey,
lately i have been using the clinique liquid facial soap, but for the price (£13), i dont feel its worth it.
can anyone recommend a cleanser (the one you use with water, not lotion).
i have sensitive, but acne prone skin.
i do like labels, but if it works i'll give anything a go.

p.s. i have tried clearasil, etc ones. im not looking for a specific acne clearing one. just one with the fact i am acne prone skin kept in mind,
xxx

Hey guys and gals. I'm a 21 yo. guy who has been reading these forums a lot in the past and now I wanted to share what I have tried and what has helped me..
This ended up becoming really really long and very badly written so sorry about that. ^^ I'm too lazy to fix it.



I've had acne for about 8 years.
My first acne treatment ever was antibiotics long ago and I dont remember much of it tbh. It helped acne a bit I think but acne came back soon after I ran out fo pills ofcourse. It did kind of stop my back acne though.

Later over the years I used bp and even tried the acne.org regimen, but for my skin bp alone just doesnt do the trick and when used twice a day it makes my skin feel quite bad..

After many years of bad acne I finaly decided to go visit the dermatologist again. This time I was described roacuttane (yay...!)
After about 6 months I had finished my pills and was left with quite clear skin, dry lips and bleedy nose. Overall I was happy with treatment.
Buuut worst was to come.. soon after having stopped roacuttane I realized that my hair was coming off in great amounts... I could lose hundreds of hairs on a bad day and when I showered my hands got filled with hairs when washing it.
It was very scary and far more stressfull than having an acne.
And of course my acne came back as well withing few months - and just as bad as before.

At some point I went to meet the same ol' dermatologist again to talk about hair loss (which he said had nothing to with roacuttane) and acne for which he wanted to give me more roacuttane. I refused and managed to get him to describe me differin which I had wanted to try.
Differin alone didnt really do much for me except it perhaps cleared few blackheads from my chin. I started to use bp as well every few days and try all other kind of remedies you can find from here but nothing worked.
Also I kept losing my hair.. I started to look like a cancer patient and had to cut my hair short.. This was more embarracing to me than acne has ever been as I'm still young and losing hair at this age is way less common than acne.
After about 9-10 months of hair loss I decided to start using rogaine to regain some hair. After some weeks I could already see it working and over the next few months my hair grew back to normal. \o/ I stopped used rogaine after hair had been good for sometime and luckily it didnt fall off after stopping the use. Nowadays my hair is still like it should be Maybe it would have grown back even without the rogaine but it certainly speeded it up and made it grow back when it'd otherwise still had been falling off.

Now that hair was fine I ofcouse started to worry more about my skin again. I finaly decided to try different dermatologist this summer. She described me with bp (to be applied at morning) and differing (to be applied before going to sleep). She also described me with antibiotic pills (tetracyclin) to be taken twice a day at first and then once a day once things get better. I also got bp + antibiotic thing to be applied on worst inflamed areas.
I was sceptical.. many products but all of which I had already tried. But soon after starting my acne started getting a lot better. I still kept getting a bit of acne though but that was mostly just skin purging.
Now only after 2 months of this regimen I can say that I'm acne free for the first time in 8 years. Even blackheads from my nose are gone!! I thought nothing could make those disappear - even roacuttane did nothing to em.

So currently 99% of my blackheads are gone which is amazing and now that blackheads start to be gone Im not getting any inflamed acne either \o/

Few things I noticed over the years:

-Moisturising every day didnt do good for my skin. If skin gets really dry its good to use some but otherwise for me it was best to be without.
Also the use of sunscreen caused me to get a lot more blackheads and to new areas as well...

-Try avoid roacuttane as long as possible especialy if your hair means anything to you. I think antibiotics with bp & retinoids should always be tried first. Some of you probly think that antibiotics are super bad&evil as well but for me they have worked without side effects so Ill still recommend them.
(... I understand that the risk of side effects from roacuttane are quite small though but I was one of the unlucky ones and so could you. / )

-Go to dermatologist asap when you arent satisfied with your skin. I didnt and I'd have far less scarring now if I had went early. Also if you aint satisfied with your dermatologist try another. :>

- With my current regimen its important to only wash face twice a day.



I'm slightly worried of what will happen once I stop taking antibiotics completely. I hope bp and differin will keep acne away. :> With no blackheads acne shouldnt get too bad too fast at least. ^^

hi guys
So i just thought i would tell you what i use on my skin to keep it clear so that hopefully it can help others. Everything i do to get rid of pimples i got from this site so THANKYOU ACNE.ORG!! Every morning and night i wash with a 4% chlorhexidine wash (it is AWESOME), tone with ACV, and moisturize with a cetaphil moistutiser. That is all! About once a week i will do a scrub with clean and clear blackhead scrub before i wash with the chlorhexidine because i have combination skin so it needs a bit of a scrub now and then.

Outside my regimen i make sure i drink 6 teaspoons of ACV. it has to be ORGANIC for it to work (Braggs brand is good). i mix 2 teaspoons in with 1 litre of water and i drink about 3 litres a day. It is magic i swear by it. It gets rid of redness and makes my skin look smooth.

So just thought i would share this so hopefully it will help someone.

oh and my acne type i would say is light to moderate acne (but not anymore!!)

any questions plz post and i'll get back to you

So im a 22m, ive been fighting acne since ive been about 16 and and over the past two years ive had the fortune of dealing with cystic acne too. I decided to go to the derm and see what he thought, i wanted accutane since ive heard great reviews about it but he told me im on the borderline for it and we should try some different things frist. This is the perscription he gave me...

30g Aczone gell (dapsone)5% - twice a day

115mg Sologyn Pill - one a day

Epiduo Gell - 2.5% benzoyl peroxide - twice a week for now and slowly increase to once a day

Neosalus - Hydrating Topical Foam - 2 - 3 times a day ( No reviews on the net if anyone has info please let me know)

I will keep a weekly post letting everyone know how this regiment is working. So far im on day 3 so I cant say much yet, but wish me luck

Andrew

Nov 6

Brief history-
I'm 24 years old, I've had severe acne from 19-21. During that time I had clear periods where my skin would look perfect thanks to Retin-A and antibiotics. When I stopped Retin-A my acne came back with a vengance, so I started using it again and went through an ib all over again, this time however I was left with scarring. I got off of Retin-A again (why I have no clue..) and used only antibiotics. During that time I'd get the occasional breakout. When I turned 22 I decided to go on accutane. When I finished I had great skin. Occasional mild breakout just like any normal person. I didn't wash my face or anything, only with water. The past month I've started seeing my skin break out again, I seem to have 1 pimple on my skin always this past month. I'm a US citizen working as an overseas contractor for the US Government in the middle east helping to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (gosh I miss home). Anyways, this past month I was on vacation in Europe and then I went back home to the US to see my friends and family, so it could've been a number of things, eating terrible..not working out..not drinking enough water..not taking vitamins..emotional stress...when I'm overseas I exercise everyday and drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet, although I'm always stressed. Anyways I'm running off the road so let me get to the point : I'm scared my skin is going to break out all over again...and I want to rid my face of discolorations...I want my skin to glow, be poreless, look like I have a natural airbrush. I do have scars, not sure what kind, I don't think they're horrible but the lady at the spa said if I do this obagi(which uses retin-a) then it should make a huge difference, then when I go back home I'll do a tca peel. BTW I plan on using retin-a from this point on for the rest of my life. So this will turn out to be quite a long log.


Ok so the Obagi NuDerm consists of an AM/PM routine
AM
Gentle Cleanser, Toner, Clear( includes a 4%hydroquinone to correct hyperpigmentation and improve even skin tone), exfoderm (a 3% phytic acid that removes old skin cells while promoting new skin cells for a lighter brighter complection)

and

PM

Gentle Cleanser, Toner, Clear(supposed to use day and night but I'll only be using during daytime and spot treating at night wth it), Blender(4% hydroquinone to target discolored areas of skin and increase penetration of active ingredients into your skin), Tretinoin(topical perscription for acne and wrinkles)

Ok the tretinoin is .05%, and like I said I'll be using it forever, I remember my skin was amazing when I used it for like 5 months. So using it for years, well should give me great skin. I'm giving this system a try. I know it's expensive, but I hope it's worth it. The worst that could happen is my skin looks better lol. I think due to the price it won't be a long term thing, just the 6 months worth of product I have. But then again, if my skin looks great who knows.


Nov 4 Day 1
AM
Cleansed, toned, applied the hydroquinone cream the exfoliating cream and sublock/sunscreen.
PM
Cleansed, toned, applied the pm hydroquinone (did not use retin-a)

Nov 5 Day 2

My skin feels really smooth and clean today.

AM
Cleansed, toned, applied the hydroquinone cream the exfoliating cream and sublock/sunscreen.
PM
Cleansed, toned, applied the pm hydroquinone, applied retin-a

Nov 6 Day 3

Well, the 1 pimple pimple I had is drying up. But so is the rest of my skin. It's starting to itch and look kinda red. I decided today I will only use Retin-A twice a week at first to lessen the impact of the IB, if there will be one. I'll slowly work up to using it every other day.Also since I work night shift until like jan or feb I won't be applying sunblock/sunscreen before bed. I'll apply it at night before I go to work.

AM
Cleansed, toned, applied the hydroquinone cream the exfoliating cream

To keep it simple, I've been clear now for a few weeks with a new regimin:

- BP wash morning and night
- After, apply Witch hazel + Tea Tree Oil (I soak them on a cotton pad)

It's been a miraculous change in my skin. I still have many red marks left over from months of breaking out but I will say this. Over the past few weeks I've done the following:

- Eaten two gallons of ice cream
- Drink milk every day
- Work out 5 days/week using creatine and protein
- Made and ate a ton of pasta over the last few weeks
- Soda, chips, frozen pizzas, mcdonalds...

(I'm working to gain 5-10lbs, which has been going well and the reason why I've been eating worse than normal lately)

Diet != Acne, at least in my case. I've tried the organic, lactose-free, low-sugar diet and found no change.

I was using tea tree oil before with BP, but I definitely think the witch hazel has a huge effect. It dries out my face so much! In fact, these things together feel so great on the skin - really refreshing feeling and smell.

This web site has helped me out ALOT! =) My face is about 92% clear. I am going to keep track of my progress.

this is my routine

Morning

Wash face with Renewing Cleanser (Warm water) for about 1 to 2 min
wait about 10 min
Next i use Oxy sensitive Daily Cleansing Pads and cleanse my face removing dead skin cells, dirt left behind. and then after i use 2 pads I drop a couple of drops of revitalizing Toner (2nd step) and just rub it in gently
wait about 10-15 min to dry
Next I add repairing Lotion (3rd step)
and finally I add lotion (not everyday) to any dry areas, like around my eyes and jaw line that's it.

I work 9 to 5 so I get home around 5;30 and I wash my face

I do the same routine except I wash my face with COLD WATER this time.

Finally when its time to go to bed I wash my face again with COLD water. and every other day I do a Steam. Followed by Aspirin Mask . witch is awesome!

one trick that I use at nite time I use 10% OXY BP gel. and I just add little dots all over my face. and even smaller dots around any break outs. I don't blob it on. I feel like this helps me out and prevents from further break outs!

Another thing that i do is i never try to pop pimpls! instead what i do is Streach out the pimple. i stretch it with two pads of OXY, witch at many time the puss just comes right out! and i have the pads to clean it right off so nothing goes into my skin again. so just streach your pmple next time. and if you see a white head pop out. it means it ready to come out. works like a charm.

as of today 10.05.2005 I have 1 pimple on my right cheek and Two on my left cheek. none on my forehead and nose. (witch is awesome) I'm actually looking foward to the weekend! The only thing now is that my face is clearing up and I have red marks left behind from the old acne. but I can actually smile now when I look in the mirror! ok till next time. I Hope no new pimples come in crossing my fingers

Hi guys, my names boyo and I've been troubled by acne for over 5 years now. I've just turned 19 and I look back at what my skin used to look like and I think WOW. I wish I knew about accutane the first month I got acne. But yeh I just want to give you guys a bit of guidance, (and hope) by presenting to you my journey to 99% clear skin. (ps mods please move to wherever necessary I wasn't sure where to put this thread)


Background
Let me give you a bit of a background of myself. I'm a dude from nepal, with tanned skin. Not dark its a quite light tan, a bit darker than your average asian. My skin is naturally quite thick and resilient, and very firm. The good thing about this is that I don't scar easily at all. The bad thing is that because I'm brown, I have very bad hyperpigmentation whenever I get spots on my cheeks or nose (not on my chin or forehead), and it takes FOREVER for this to fade. Anyway let me tell you about my story.....


Acne Kicks in
It was about 2004 when I started getting acne, it started with small spots on my forehead. Nothing major, they went away after a couple of days. Then when i turned around 14, the hormones kicked in. I used to get those big red hurt-to-the-touch blistering spots on my cheeks, the types where they have no head and they seem to merge with other ones to create big ones. To be honest, they were quite rare, happening every few weeks, but in between, I had mild acne. The whiteheads were always popping up on my cheeks, it was so bad. My confidence died etc. I went to my GP and he prescribed me Duac.


Duac
Duac is a topical treatment that is a mix of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin. It was very good at making my spots shrink and disappear, but that was the only positive. I didn't put the cream on individual spots, but I always applied it to the whole cheek area, which is a bad method. A few months after, my spots died down(a bit), but i had really really dry skin and my skin was really obviously damaged. My red marks were so bright and red that they looked just as bad as the spots, and I realised that the benzoyl peroxide was damaging my skin. So i stopped abruptly.................................worst decision ever. IF you are ever thinking of stopping BP, do it slowly, use less and less of it until you use no more. But anyway a day after stopping Duac completely, my face broke loose. I dont think there was a single patch of clear skin on my cheeks or nose, I stayed home from school for like 4 days! So yes off it was to my GP again...
Lesson learned: don't use BP on the whole face, just individual spots. Also, if BP isn't working for you, reduce the amount GRADUALLY


Minocycline
I went to my GP again (this was in about 2005), and I was prescribed Minocycline. This was an antibiotic and was meant to work really well, but I was so impatient that after seeing no results a few weeks later, I was inconsistent with taking it. This is when I resorted to OTC. OTC (over the counter products) damaged my skin badly as well. Taking a different cream or vitamin every week was surely making my acne worse, and I eventually gave up on Minocycline as I thought that it wasn't helping. I carried on using the topical clearasil and clean and clear etc, but my skin wasnt improving at all.
Lesson learned: take antibiotics religiously, dont fret.


Acne.org
I then came across these boards, reading threads about what has worked for people. I tried damn nearly every single thing that there was on this board, none of it working. I tried tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar topically and orally, fish oil, vitamin e, lemon juice, and generally all the products suggested here. I browsed the treatment reviews section and saw that Vitamin C was awarded a very high rating, so I started taking that. Bad move. Very slowly I started developing cysts. Im not sure if this was directed a consequence of the Vitamin C i was taking, but Im pretty sure it was. I was taking about 1g of vitamin C daily and eventually I started developing cysts on my nose and on my cheeks. I eventually was fed up and went to the GP for the 3rd time.
VERY important Lesson learned: something that works for others will not necessarily work for you!!


Rock-Bottom skin
This is the turning point in my story. The GP prescribed my erythromycin and Fusidic Acid creams. They are both STRONG antibiotics, both oral and topical respectively. He said that my acne was starting to get badly infected and referred me to the dermatologist immediately. A week later I went to the dermatologist, and got prescribed my miracle product, Roaccutane.AHH.
Lesson learned: seek PERSONAL help from others, not just generic threads online(but they can also be very helpful)


Accutane
Accutane was a lifesaver for me. Not at the beginning, but I sit here 2 months post accutane with smoother skin than a non-acne sufferer. My red marks are very very faint now, and my scars are pretty much gone except for a few ice picks.

I was prescribed 20mg for 4 weeks then bumped up to 40mg for 5 months. I weighed only 50kg then so thats why the dosage was so low. I admittedly did not get an "initial breakout", as my skin was the worst it could be, and I think the erythromycin I was on prevented any MORE breakouts, so that was a very good thing. The accutane was great after a few weeks, and amazing after a few months. All spots went away, they were all smaller in size, no spots were developing, my big cysts were dying down etc. This has lasted until now, I've had no problems with the actual accutane on the ACNE. However, I was subjected to very bad side effects which I will list here:



Side effects
1. My lips were dry (i didnt care about this but yeh)
2. I developed hard bumps under my skin which were apparently cysts underneath the surface that accutane prevented developing any further, but still remained under the skin. They were very hard but weren't visible so thats good. I can assure you, post accutane, these dissolve away and your skin becomes super smooth.
3. My hair thinning. This was the worst side effect by far. Waking up to find 20hairs on your pillow and hair clogging the shower drain is a very stressful sight. My hair is now on the road to recovery but it took a long time. Firstly find out if its telogen effluvium or male pattern baldnes by looking at a hair that has fallen out. If its got a white bulb at the end, its TE(temporary!) if it doesn't have a white bulb on any of them, its MPB. But I combated my TE by SIPPING 2 litres of water a day (dont chug it down or you'll just pee it all out) whilst taking 2.5mg of biotin daily. Too much biotin makes you break out so find the right dose. But the main thing was time, trust me if its accutane-related, its a 95% chance its going to go back to normal.
Lesson Learned: accutane is a miracle to SOME. It won't work for 1% of you out there. Least you can do is TRY. Also, it is possible to combat your hair loss


Post accutane
Post accutane I now have no spots, and Dan's AHA has really really helped my red marks and scars fade away. I use it ever other nighttime, and that is the ONLY PRODUCT i use on my face. Nothing. Even washing my face I only use water, not clearasil or cetaphil(which is actually really good). It feels so great and I just hope that it remains like this.
Lesson Learned: the less products the better, and only use AHA POST accutane


Anyway I hope you had the time to read any relevant sections of this, PLEASE feel free to PM me with any further questions you have. Learn from your and my mistakes! Its taken me a good 30mins to write this out but I just hope alot of you can relate to this and therefore learn from what I did wrong and what i did right.

PS, ill post some before and after pics over the next few days, Im not at my home computer right now so ill have to do it after.

Hi! so im a 14 year old male currently living in alaska anchorage (in case that has anything to do with it) I have been expierencing acne for about 2 years now. it started out as a couple pimples around my nose area but esculated to at least 7 or 8 on my cheek(right cheek in particular) and 6 or 7 on my temples. i tried proactive and it resulted in dry acne prone skin. no change. i tried using normal bar soap. didnt do anything except irritate my skin. i tried some special acne bar soap. nothing except red skin. i tried a neutragena morning face wash.(its blue in a clear bottle) i tried just water and got some better results but my face alway seems a little red. i added moisterizer and it worked alright. i went back to proactive for another try and got no result. recently i read about a no washing method and realized that on the weekends when i dont wash for a couple days my face looks better. so i decided to try the "cave man" method. im now on day 4, no break outs, a few remaining puss filled zits on my face and the usual on my cheek(not puss filled. just kinda red or brownish) im now on day 4 and my face is looking about 50% clearer. my discoloration is nearly absent. i have a darker more even complexion. my acne has really gone down. im going to stay on this regime but i have some questions on how to get rid of that stubborn cheek acne. my skin is kinda combination between oily and dry, my skin is always kinda rough, and acne is hereditary throughout my family. so any comments suggestions, or questions would be helpful! thank you for all responses!

Hello Everyone,

I'm a 25 year old guy and have had bad acne since age 14...up until recently.

I used to have a "good" day about once every 2 or 3 weeks, but most of the time my face was just plain bad. Here is what I've been doing differently:

Firstly, this change in my skin would not of happened if I didn't do any research. FINDING THIS MESSAGE BOARD and reading is what helped me alot in the first place!!!

What I eat/drink GREATLY affects my skin. No more pizza, Chinese food, or junk like that! I really have to watch what I eat, which can be difficult at times because I have a fast metabolism. For breakfast I have healthy cereal with 6g of dietary fiber, low in sodium and sugar. NO MILK. cereal without milk is actually not so bad. also strawberries and almonds and 1 egg all for breakfast. Breakfast has to be kept really light because it's very harsh on you body after a nights sleep. i NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST!

As for the rest of the meals in the day, I just try to eat foods that are high in antioxidants: veggies, fruits. I also try to have olive oil in my meals. fish is great.

4-8 CUPS OF GREEN TEA/day!! seriously, this stuff does wonders. It can detox your system if you drink a lot of it which is great.


I also change my pillow case everyday. it definitely helps!

I steam my face with green tea every morning before I do my regimen!! very important!! I only got great results after I started doing this, which was about 3 weeks ago. I hold my face over the steaming pot for about 10 minutes and then wash with clearasil soap.

I WASH MY FACE ONLY 2 TIMES A DAY NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!! the biggest mistake I used to make in the past was I would wash my face too many times in one day! sometimes 4 times in one day. even though i get kind of oily by mid day, i pat dry with a paper towel or something but don't wash just because you're oily!


I ex foliate with proactive solution mask 2x a week, not any more than that! otherwise my face gets too dry. once a week i moisturize before bed.

after i steam and wash my face, i lightly apply a proactive toner (the clear stuff), then i use clearasil vanishing cream. I know it's 10% benzoil peroxide but I have REALLY thick skin and it just absorbs it right in. dan's regimen says i should use 5% bp but if I use that, my face becomes really really shiny and gets very oily and shiny all day. ugh. when I spread the clearasil cream on, I HAVE TO DO IT VERY VERY GENTLY. i don't stretch the skin at all. it takes a while to cover my whole face with it but it's worth it. I have like 2 little red marks that are like scars so i put a tiny little covergirl makeup on those spots. I only use the bp in the morning before I head out. after I wash at night I use a 5% bp



Right now I have no pimples. I look and feel great! I feel like I can do anything i want to. It's truly a wonderful feeling to not have to shy away from things because of your face! Life has been great like this with clear skin for about 3 weeks. Now I need to find myself a date for my cousin's wedding coming up!! )

If anyone has any questions, you can feel free to message me or email me.

ps I'm typing this very quickly without much thought cause it's 1:20am

I'll start off with the most imporant part of what has changed my life.

I recieved Christ last year and I can never write or explain how much that has changed my life. One thing thats been the hardest to walk away from is my OCD. I've felt helpless for years struggling with OCD. Its crazy, at my worst I used to pull my hair out on top of picking. I stopped pulling my hair out, but one thing I have never gotten control of was picking. I would cut my nails, cover the mirrors and pat myself on the back for not picking for a couple of weeks- then I would pick for hours, get very depressed, and not go around people for days. Its very hard to admit or talk about but I feel like i have to.

I was crying out to God asking Him to take this awful habit away and came across the verse that is my signature. Reading that was the first time I connected what I was doing to actually being cruel, not only to myself, but my family as well.

So here I am admitting that I have to put it in God's hands. I can no longer let this habit control my life. I'm focusing on that verse each time to the point that I say it to myself before I realise I was close to putting my hands on my face. Its not gone but I am hoping this is a place where I can be honest, be accountable, and offer support as well.

I keep a log in my pocket of everytime I get an urge to pick and stop and write that verse/say it instead of putting my hands on my face or body. I only picked once yesterday which is a far cry from the 20-30 minutes I would spend picking each day. There isnt one scab on my face and I feel so much more comfortable. I even went out without makeup on yesterday.

I started ocm and do acv with asprin and green tea, the difference is amazing.


I did however have a big problem. I put neosporin on 3 places on my face a few days ago and now I have a horrible weeping itchy rash. I am taking benadryl but not sure if I can put any cortosone creams on my face. I must be allergic to the neosporin. Is there anything else I should use? Should I discontinue ocm until the rash goes away? will the acv mixture hurt it?

My other question is should I use the acv/gt/asprin toner after ocm or wait for awhile...or should I use it only in the morning when I dont do OCM?

My skin is so much smoother and other than some dark spots from old wounds, it is 200% better than it was just a few days ago.

I'm on 40mg a day.. I started Monday taking the pill at dinner.

Day 1: Nothing of note, but I'm happy that I save a ton of time not having to use special washes, creams, and topicals.

Day 2: If I feel even slightly warm my face gets heated and feels very hot. Ears and face flush. Yawning makes me turn red for about 20 seconds even. Nothing else of note, no change in face.

Day 3: Acne actually seems better, there are simply less pimples. Don't know if it can be attributed to Accutane this early (3rd pill) though, so I'm holding tight. I haven't experienced the dryness or chapped lips or anything like that yet. My face is still very oily.

Day 4: To be continued...

I was 11 when i gOt my first huge zit on the center of my nOSE!! and that's where it all started.. blackheads.. whiteheads.. HUGE PIMPLEs all over my face!! that's where it all began.. i've spent 7 years crying myself to sleep, being bullied by everyone, including my relatives, being stared at as if i totally grossed people out. my life was horrible with acne.. I've tried everything:

-nivea products- made my face even more oily
-Mena- didn't do anything
-renow D- gave me even more blackheads
-chinese acne creams- made my face red
-CETaphil- created tons of little bumps on my face
-FORever flawless acne kit- gave me huge pimples on my cheeks
-PROACTIVE SOLUTION- REGRETTED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!! didn't JUST wipe out my wallet.. but gave me even mOre problems like over drying and itching.. totally hated it..
-Tea tree OIL kit from the BOdy Shop- it worked.. kinda.. it was just ok... but didnt really help prevent my pimples from coming back..but LOve the smell
-papaya soap- helped alot! but after a few weeks it all came back..
-kojic acid soap- dried out my skin.. make it red and itchy..
-pond's facial wash- hated it..!!!
-pond's cream- worked for a while..pimple came back after a month..
-Panoxyl- dried out my face too much.. didn't work..

BUT i did FINALLY find something that worked 3 days after using it..
DALACIN C (CLINDAMYCIN) (CLEONCIN) capsuls SAVED MY LIFE..
All u have to do is empty the capsul in one of your favorite toners/cleansers. a cleanser that works for you of course. in 3 days i saw the difference.. It actually prevents new pimples from forming and it dries out present one's.. 1 300mg capsul will do, but after getting used to it, you'll probably need 2, depending how severe your acne is.. you guys may not believe me.. but i'm someone that really suffered as in to death, trying to figure out ways to cure my acne.. i started using this right after i stopped using proactive.. it really works. for oily skin types, u don't need to use any moisturizer at all.. just simply wash your face.. and tone.. this is one of the best solutions most filipinos use.. if u don't see any improvment within 1 week, u can gladly stop it.. but i doubt it..


Clindamycin are good for acne since they attack the bacteria supposedly causing its inflammation ( Propionebacterium acnes). I've personally used it and I was happy with the results. I did not take them orally as they are more effective if you use them on your face directly.Use as much as you want. This way, you won't have to deal with the side effects, you concentrate on the face, you save a lot more money this way, you get better results, and you won't make your body immuned to antibiotics.People and situations are different. For me, it took me two weeks to see significant results. And I had severe acne. I used the Eskinol mixed with Dalacin C as much as I could. There was a noticeable difference in three days. But my face was almost clear in two weeks.Taking Dalacin C everyday or more can be expensive. And there are side effects to be wary about. If you decide to take them by mouth, you will have to take them for two weeks maximum. For the frequency, you will have to ask a doctor. It depends on your body type and medical history.


i use this with ESKINOL derma C cleanser.. 2 times a day..works just perfect.. for severe acne, it may take some time.. bout 2-3 weeks.it may dry out faces for some.. but all u need is a moisturizer that suites u.. and TADAAAA!! acne free.. Its worth a try.. all u need to do is add it to a toner/cleanser u usually use.. may start out with 2 capsuls if severe!
its COmpletely SAFE..

U can buy this at any drug store.. guys.. this may look simple.. but you'll totally THANK me for the results. try this and you'll have no problem with pimples. Plus! you get to have a smoother face.. it's also good for preventing BLACKHEADS....


All u have to do is:

go to a drugstore and buy Dalacin C 300mg.. it's an antibiotic in capsule form..

also buy an astringent about 70-80ml... any brand will do.. use the most famous brand you think you can afford.. astringents with 100-200 ml, u shud use 2 capsuls..

open the capsule and put it all the powder in the bottle of the astringent...

shake it well..and shake before everytime using it

apply this after you wash your face.. 2 times for me..

after a week, your skin will feel soft and your face will start to clear..

if your skin is dry, you can add a capsule or two of vitamin E (400mg capsule) this will help moisturize your skin..

and whenever you have a zit, just put some of this solution on a cotton ball and soak your pimple with it..

your acne will disappear in 2 days or less..

GOOD LUCK!

Wish me luck!

Please feel free to add any input about my regiment or if you have a question!

Started: 10/21/09
Treating Pustules acne, which are red, inflamed, infected plugged oil glands, somtimes filled with pus.

AM:
Organic Shea Butter African Black Soap- Very gentle rub the soap on my hands on to my face and neck for 3 mins then wash off with warm water, pat dry wait 15 mins before applying lotion if needed.
(Only if needed) Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion- Very gentle and lite rub the lotion on my hands on to my face and neck.

PM:
Organic Shea Butter African Black Soap- Very gentle rub the soap on my hands on to my face and neck for 3 mins then wash off with warm water, pat dry wait 15 mins before applying lotion if needed.
(Only if needed) Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion- Very gentle and lite rub the lotion on my hands on to my face and neck.

Twice a week at night St. Ives Arpricot Gentle Scrub- After cleaning my face with soap, very gentle rub the scrub on my hands on to my face and neck for 3 mins then wash off with warm water, pat dry and follow up with lotion if needed waiting 15 mins before applying.

Twice a week at night Dead Sea Magic Mineral™ Mud Mask - After cleaning my face with soap, pat dry wait 15 mins then apply mask on to dry skin, let sit on face and neck for 10 mins then wash off with warm water, pat dry and follow up with lotion if needed waiting 15 mins before applying.

Doxycycl HYC 100mg Twice a day
Zinc 50mg Twice a day
Omega 3 Fish Oil 1200mg Twice a day

Green Tea: 4 to 5 Cups a day
Water: 4 to 5 Big Glasses a day

I've tried EVERYTHING, trust me, and nothing seemed to work.
I have naturally light brown skin and my skin never gets red of burned or starts peeling from harsh products like Benzoyl Peroxide, Retin-A etc. They also never cleared me of my (mild) acne.

I believe my skin is just insensitive and I just need higher concentrations of product.
So, after visiting my doctor, he prescribed me Differin and Minocycline.

I take the Minocycline once a day and I use Differin every night.

After applying the Differin, I wait till it's all "sucked up" by my skin and I apply Dan's Moisturizer (Which is the best moisturizer I've ever used, just don't like the smell).

I also apply Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide every other night after the Differin, and I finish again with moisturizer.

Right before going to sleep I make sure I apply:

Neoderma's Blue Blood Gel (Anti-Aging and helps other Neoderma Products work even better, works great for under eyes =D)

Neoderma's Rebalancing Intense Matifying Serum (Reduces sebum production and makes skin feel smooth and healthy)

Neoderma's Rebalancing Matifying Cream (Reduces sebum production and makes skin feel smooth and healthy)


In the morning I cleanse, and then I use Benzoyl Peroxide (ever other day), then I moisturize.

And every morning after moisturizing I use the Neoderma Products again.


I also use Neoderma's Rebalancing Cream Mask once a week.

This regimen is quickly clearing up my acne, I feel much better and more confident now.
I also go to my esthetician once a month and get a Bio-Peel (Neoderma =D), this is the best peel I've ever had and it works wonders.

My Acne is mostly whiteheads with a few inflamed things, but those are quickly going away.
I really love Neoderma products and the Rebalancing line is great for whiteheads, I just started using this and I love it.

Day 1
Wasnt sure if this would fit under one of the categories so I thought id put it here. Might see if I can link it to my signature too.

So this is my 3rd battle with acne. I never thought id get to this point again. I was on top of the world when I last finished the medication. Kinda disappointed that ive had to start again. But on the plus side ive caught it earlier this time and maybe being a bit more educated about how to deal with it and look after myself will help to clear it quicker.

In terms of medication im starting on 1x300mg Tetralysal (Lymecycline) and Isotrexin gel (Isotretinoin with Erythromycin), once or twice a day. These are different to the early meds that I was on before. The doctor cannot prescribe me anything stronger so im starting with this until I get a derm appointment.

Im also starting 1xmultivitamin suppliment tablet (contains just about everything you need), 1x 500mg Omega 3 6 9 oil capsule and 1x200mg Pantothenic Acid tablet (Vitamin B5). Theres going to be a whole load more water being drunk, changing of pillow cases, not using the same towel on my body as my face when I wash, eating ALOT healthier, less touching my skin, more exercise (running every morning) and a better sleeping pattern that is regular and involves me getting enough sleep every night.

Ive also decided that im going take my focus away from what I look like at the moment and what people think of me (which is the main thing that is really getting me down) and channel it into working hard on getting clear and doing active things that will help. I dont think that the things I want to do are unrealistic. They are all easily done and very manageable.

Away from the acne im starting therapy for my moderate depression in 2 weeks with a counsellor. Im quite looking forward to this actually. And already im starting to change the way I think with my change of focus and with more and more things that I read on here.

Ok so my current skin situation- the main breakout areas are on my forehead just below my hair line and arond my mouth and chin. I rarely get spots on my cheeks which is where the main problem was last time. I had a breakout at the weekend so have about 10 or so around my face. Its not major but they are persistant and quite big. Each breakout was getting worse so fingers crossed thatll stop soon enough. I would take some pictures but pictures arent good for my mind so I will avoid that. Will post some when I feel confident enough.

So here goes. Im starting quite hopeful and I hope it stays that way!

I wash with Neostrata 20% AHA wash. Shave using Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel. After my skin has dried I apply Neostrata 10% AHA Ultra Smoothing Lotion. Around my eye area I apply DCL AHA revitialing Eye Cream. @ night I wash again using the Neostrata 20% wash, towel dry, then apply either Retin-a .01 with 3% hydroquinone or Retin-a .05 with 7% hydroquinone. This is the regime that keeps me blemish and line free. I am 42. Chuck

So here goes, I'm starting a log.

I've finally reached a point where I'm generally happy about my skin. I think I'm mostly clear and I really think benzoyl and clindamycin work great together.

The biggest lesson I think has been its really important to be consistent and persistent. If I miss a single dose, my acne gets worse, but if I manage to not miss any doses for an extended period I really hardly get any pimples at all (maybe one/month when I used to get about one every day or two). I still have some inflamed red spots on my face which have been slowly improving but its taken a really long time (over 4 months). Hopefully if I stick it out I'll finally be able to get rid of this of the spots that really don't seem to want to give up (p. acnes is quite adept at surving but I think I'm definitely winning now).

For the past circa 6 months, I've had the following routine

-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% every morning and night (I've progressively been upping the dose, now I go through about one of those neutrogena style tubes a week b/c I use a little on my shoulds and back also)
-cindamycin phosphate lotion 1% every morning and night (takes about 1 - 2 months to use 50grams).

-recently (a few days ago) i started doing a midday 3rd application of benzoyl, just as an extra spot treatment (not all over my face).
-today i used neosporin for the first time on one pimple, and I'll keep you updated on how it works

After trying the "no chemicals on my face" approach for 6-7 months, I've decided to finally try Accutane.

I'm Asian, male, 19 years old, very oily skin, with moderate to severe acne.

My acne is hereditary, which is one reason why I've avoided Accutane for so long. If my father had acne well into his 40's, then I figured that once the Accutane course stopped, my genetics would reign supreme and bring back the acne.

However, I, like many of you, decided to try this miracle drug for whatever reason. I've tried Erythomycin, Clindamycin, Proactiv, Benzamycin, Tetracycline, Minocycline, Doxycycline, and Retin-A. And for the past 6-7 months, I've been taking various vitamins and drinking ACV.

I'm here to ask for third-party advice. I'd like to know the lasting effects of Accutane on oily-skinned people, especially Asian male ones. Almost all of my Asian relatives that have tried Accutane have not had successful courses. I'm trying to see the general trend of Accutane effects on Asians. Now I know that Asians, like every other race, do not all have the same skin type. Yes, there are Asians with different combinations of skin types but I'm just looking to see if a general trend exists.

But, I would also like to hear all of your tips/advice. Do you have hereditary acne, and did Accutane make a dent? Share any info you want to pass along! I'll keep you all posted on my Accutane adventure if I decided to move forward with this. I'll ask a mod to move this thread to the Accutane log section, and I'll turn this thread into a log.

All the best,

Louis